


A Pocketful of Shells

by Psuedo_sweetheart



Category: Andromeda Six (Visual Novel)
Genre: M/M, Spoilers for chapter 5, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:36:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29789283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psuedo_sweetheart/pseuds/Psuedo_sweetheart
Summary: A kindhearted boy, who turned into a charming prince, who turned into a killer.
Relationships: Calderon Lynch/Traveler, Vexx Serif/Original Character(s), Vexx Serif/Traveler
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Slight AU, because I wanted to work with a specific theme. I had the first draft of this written long before Episode 5 came out, and since it’s slight AU anyway, I told myself I wouldn’t change it, regardless, but then I felt like I had to address what happened in canon.
> 
> There's three parts, and I'm posting the more hopeful, original version of the beginning as Chapter 2, if anyone is interested in reading it.

“Sweet!” Damon crowed, a grin lighting up his face.

They were on their way out of the labyrinthine Orion labs and this weapon’s locker was their last stop before heading back to the ship to start the fireworks.

“Load up, folks,” he ushered everyone inside. “No use leaving these toys here to be blown up, when we can use ‘em instead.”

Iris started shoving the first things he saw in his pockets, which happened to be boxes of ammunition, glaring when Calderon huffed out an amused laugh.

“None of those match your gun,” the captain informed him.

Iris just shrugged, “Someone can use them, or we can sell them.”

“Yes, but I know you only have on bullet left after that firefight.”

“And I know, he didn’t hit a damn thing, despite using up two whole magazines,” Damon snapped from behind them.

Ignoring Damon’s narrow eyed glare, Iris just shrugged again, pulling an unconcerned smile to his lips.

“Sorry, just need more practice, I guess. I promise won’t waste anymore bullets though. I have my knife if we come across more K’Merii.”

Iris really didn’t want to kill anyone, but he hadn’t bothered saying so. Even with the option to stun, instead of kill, Iris knew the likelihood of him making it on a mercenary crew without killing anyone was nil. He just needed to get over it, but so far he’d found it easier said than done.

Calderon was looking at him with a soft understanding Iris couldn’t quite bring himself to face, only daring to look at the man from the corner of his eye. 

The affection that had been growing between him and the captain had stalled to a painful halt ever since Vexx had been brought on board, and everything Iris had learned in this wretched place, only made the idea of opening up to someone again feel akin to handing someone a blade for the express purpose of carving his heart clean out of his chest.

Iris glanced at Vexx, who was standing guard at the door, instead of joining the rest of the crew in their jubilant looting spree.

Strangely, nothing the sniper had done changed the way Iris felt about him, not even the fact that he pulled the trigger on Nerissa had managed to kill that. Iris understood Vexx had been stripped down, violated in a way he could never even imagine, and he could never hold that against him.

No, it was Nerissa choosing to trust Vexx, instead of him, that felt like poison rushing through Iris’ bloodstream, obliterating every clinging remnant of love, till his bones were heavy with a vicious jealousy, so powerful it felt like the only part of him that was still alive and breathing.

All the things he’d done to try and make himself worthy, and it hadn’t been enough. 

_He_ hadn’t been enough. Again.

Iris hadn’t been able to speak past his emotions after he remembered that scene, cocky Vexx, on his knees, the title, ‘Queen Nerissa’ on his lips, and yet when Iris had asked what was going on, he’d been gently, but firmly, rebuffed. 

He’d carefully brought it up with the both of them various times after that, to no avail, and when it seemed like nothing had come of it, Iris had let it go, like he’d let so many things go over the years.

Except, as Vexx went on to tell him of the consequences of Nerissa’s choice to trust him, Iris realized, he had never let it go, he’d just buried it along with the rest of his pain.

Before it could overwhelm him, the K’Merii had found them, forcing them to move on.

Now, Iris was silent as the rest of the crew talked in excited whispers about what they’d found, happily loaded down with as many weapons and munitions they could carry.

It was Bash who caught sight of the machine gun turret on the ceiling in the middle of a main hallway, its outline barely visible in the low emergency lighting.

Iris was separated from the rest of the crew, before even he knew it. Everyone except Vexx, that was. 

Ducking behind a convenient crate, Iris clutched his pistol as he watched Vexx duck out of cover. The sniper didn’t have time to line up the perfect shot like he usually would, and he pulled back cursing a moment later, the turret still whirring as it searched for more targets.

As Vexx was reloading, Iris saw movement in the corner of his eye. It was a black garbed, K’Merii, leaning around the opposite corner with his gun aimed straight at Vexx. 

Iris lifted his pistol, but just like every other time he’d aimed at a person, his hands shook too much and the shot went wide. 

The gun in the soldier’s hands jerked with a bang and a flash of light and Iris’ heart lurched violently in his chest when Vexx cried out, dropping his gun with a clatter as the bullet tore a hole in his hand.

There was no time for thoughts. Despite Iris’ pockets being full of shotgun shells, his gun was useless, so he unsheathed his knife and dove across the hall. 

He was lucky the rest of the crew was distracting the turret, and even more lucky the K'Merii had a rifle that needed reloaded after each shot- it gave Iris the time he needed to sink his blade into the meat of the man’s neck. 

It was almost effortless. 

The diamond edged blade slid beneath skin and past muscles, ligaments, veins, and tissue in one smooth stroke. It was the warm, coppery smelling, blood, spraying all over Iris’ face that had his stomach roiling in disgust.

The turret exploded, just as the body fell to the floor, but Iris barely noticed as he stared down at the bloody remains of what had been a person just a minute ago.

Warm fingers grasped his elbow, trying to pull him away.

“Iris,” Vexx’s voice shook a little, “look at me, okay? Just look at me.”

The rest of the crew came barreling around the corner, and the air filled with the sound of concerned murmurs.

June handed Vexx a handkerchief and Iris blinked back into himself as Vexx started wiping the worst of the blood from his face.

“There you are,” Vexx breathed, tilting their foreheads together. “You had me worried there for a minute.”

Iris stared into bright, green eyes, remembering when looking into them made the entire universe fade into background noise. 

Swallowing thickly, Iris’ lips trembled as he desperately tried to dredge up a joke, or at least a smirk, anything, anything for him to hide behind.

But there was nothing big enough to cover this up. Nothing strong enough to divert the sudden, devastating, flood of emotions, Iris had been damming up ever since the day he finally gave up on trying to get his mother to love him again.

Nerissa’s love was all that he had had left, but Vexx had usurped that too, and there was no Zovack to blame for that betrayal, and all of the sudden, all the grief and bitterness Iris had been swallowing down with a wink and a grin, was suddenly too much for him to contain.

“You-” Iris choked out, “are the worst thing that ever happened to me.”

Vexx’s expression spasmed from worry to anguish, and he jerked back from Iris like his presence was suddenly hot enough to blister. Iris thought maybe that was right, maybe he was going supernova, just like Kitalpha had. 

“I was her brother!” he yelled, stepping into Vexx’s space, back into that gravitational pull that once felt magnetic and now felt like rushing toward something at terminal velocity. “I was her family, and I did everything, _everything_ , to try and get her to trust me, but she chose _you_.”

There was a warm, wetness on Iris’ face, and for a second he recoiled, remembering the spray of blood, before he realized he was crying.

“Fuck,” he whispered, his voice tight and wavering as he looked at his fingers, glistening with a mixture of blood and tears. “She’s dead, and so is everything in me that she wanted to protect in the first place.”

Iris dropped his hands, and looked at Vexx, who was standing rigidly in place, his gaze locked on the floor.

The rest of the crew stood around them, but it seemed like, for once, no one had anything to say. The captain finally broke the silence.

“We need to go,” Calderon said, as he nodded toward the hallway that would take them back to the ship.

Most of the crew responded immediately, everyone but Calderon, Damon, Vexx, and Iris, hurrying away from one devastation to prepare for the next. 

Gently, Calderon took Iris’ elbow and pulled him along behind the others.

Iris didn’t look back, not at Vexx or Damon, not at the body of the person he’d killed. 

As his skin started to itch from where the blood and tears had dried, Iris decided, there were things in life that were much, much, more difficult, than killing someone.

***

Iris tugged at Vexx’s hand, dragging him to look at an advert proclaiming the arrival of Cirque du Etoile.

His jaw dropped at the sight of people breathing fire, acrobats flipping across high wires, and dogs dancing and jumping in sparkling costumes.

“Dancing dogs!” he turned to Vexx, with wide, pleading eyes, “Can we go?”

“Are you kidding?” Vexx scoffed, “It sets up on the outskirts of the Silver District, way too far from the palace.”

Iris fluttered his eyelashes till he worked up a sheen of tears. “Pleaaaase, Vexx.”

Vexx wavered visibly, and Iris upped the ante, letting the tears swim in his eyes, before blinking like he was trying not to let them fall.

“Okay, okay,” Vexx blurted out, his hands held up like Iris was threatening him with a gun. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Vexx’s complete inability to deal with tears was Iris’ favorite and best weapon against him, one he used without mercy.

“You’re the best, Vexx,” Iris grinned, as he grabbed Vexx’s arm and started dragging him along, back to the palace.

Scowling, Vexx resolutely refused to look at him, “Yeah, yeah, whatever, Prince Flower.”

Iris just rolled his eyes. The nickname had never bothered him, just like being named after a flower had never bothered him. He kind of liked it, actually. But that didn’t mean he could just let Vexx get away with teasing him. 

“I can’t believe even fake tears make you crumble. You’re such a sweetheart.”

Vexx fixed him with a flat, unimpressed, look.

After a moment, a sharp, grin, grew on his face, and Iris’s heart sped up as he wondered what he was going to do to get back at him.

“Two can play that game, your majesty. I know your buttons too.”

Vexx shifted closer and took Iris’s chin in his hand, forcing him to stop and look deeply into his eyes.

His expression was solemn as he started to speak, his voice fervent yet firm. 

“Your safety is my utmost concern, your majesty. Please, let me do my duty as your humble servant and-” Vexx’s lips trembled and he cut off, laughing so hard he doubled over.

Iris crossed his arms over his chest, glowering at him.

“You ruined it,” he complained loudly. “You ruin it every time!”

“I’m sorry, I just think it’s hilarious that you find intense devotion so persuasive,” Vexx snickered, still grinning widely.

“Doesn’t everybody?” Iris pouted, as he started off down the road again. “Who doesn’t like feeling special?”

“Being a prince isn’t special enough for you?” Vexx teased, as he jogged to catch up.

He snatched Iris’ hand into his again, and Iris huffed, but didn’t pull away.

“That isn’t the same, and you know it.”

Suddenly serious, Vexx looked down at their clasped hands.

“I know, Iris.”

He squeezed Iris’ hand tightly, a small, sad, smile on his lips, that filled Iris with the urge to kiss it away- an urge that was starting to become familiar with how often it had been happening lately, sometimes with no provocation at all.

He didn’t, only squeezing back and bumping their shoulders together.

  
So far, the circus was everything Iris had hoped for- a non-stop spectacle fest, a feast for the senses. Spectacular lights, bright, sweeping, colors, rousing music, and acts that seemed to grow more and more awe-inducing as the night went on.

He and Vexx sat up in a little platform high above every one else’s heads, far enough in the shadows not to be noticed by the performers. It was the perfect vantage point. 

Vexx had acquired a bag of peanuts, and showed Iris how to shell them before proceeding to horrify him by tossing the shells off the platform to fall into the crowd below.

“You can’t just litter like that!” 

“It’s fine,” Vexx snickered. “It’s an ancient tradition. This is just a tent with a dirt floor, the shells will disintegrate.”

“Still,” Iris said, looking at the ground dubiously. 

“You know, your hatred of littering is a little on the obsessive side, prince.”

A bright, new, star in the sky, followed by locked doors, and split knuckles from hours of knocking, flashed in Iris’s memory, and he hid a flinch.

“Excuse me, for having manners. You could learn a few things from me, Lieutenant Serif.”

“If I ever need to figure out which fork to use at a party, I’ll hit you up.”

Iris shoved him, while Vexx just snickered, which turned into a laugh when Iris resolutely stuck his peanut shells in his jacket pocket.

“You are ridic-”

The ringmaster’s booming voice interrupted him, introducing the costumed, dancing dogs, who trotted out into the ring, tails wagging happily, and Iris grabbed Vexx and shook him.

“Shut up, shut up! Here they are!”

“You can-”

“Shhhh!”

  
Iris sighed happily, after the dogs left the arena, the skin on his palms buzzing from how hard he’d clapped for them.

Glancing at Vexx, he noticed that soft look on his face, the one that never failed to make Iris’ heart soften in response, all his defenses crumbling into dust, with hope and desire rising from the ashes. 

But Iris kept hesitating to act on those feelings. 

Because, Vexx, was a liar.

The things he lied about weren’t things Iris cared about though. Vexx could keep his secrets, he could keep pretending his only memories were adventure stories. It was Vexx’s now that he wanted, it was Vexx’s heart, he needed to see.

And since Iris always knew when Vexx was lying, even if he didn’t know why, he knew the way Vexx looked at him wasn’t a lie.

“I’m glad I brought you,” Vexx said, after a moment. “I’m glad, I’m the one who got to show you this.”

Sadness, flickered over his expression for a moment, before he grinned that sharp grin of his and elbowed Iris playfully.

“If you ever look at a person with the same expression as you watched those dogs, I’ll know you’re in love.”

Iris sputtered, then threw his handful of peanuts at Vexx, who grinned as he ducked to the side.

“Litter bug!” Vexx guffawed.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Iris responded, nose in the air like a court noble.

Before Vexx could respond, Iris threw himself into in his lap, his grip punishingly tight around Vexx’s shoulders.

“What the hell!” Iris squeaked, voice a full two octaves higher than usual, as he stared down at the ring in horror.

Vexx froze underneath him, before shifting so he could peer beyond Iris, at the arena.

“Seriously? You’re scared of clowns?” he snickered, his breath warm against Iris’ ear. “Did one of your siblings traumatize you with a scary clown movie as a kid?”

“Not that I remember,” Iris mumbled, shifting so he could bury his face against Vexx’s shoulder, half truly wanting comfort, and half just wanting to be close to him. “Tell me when it’s over.”

Vexx’s arm casually curled around Iris’ waist, then tightened suddenly.

“One of them’s climbing the ropes!”

Iris screeched, arms clenching around Vexx so tight he grunted, before breaking into loud, helpless, belly laughs.

“You, absolute dick!” Iris tried to snap at him, but he’d never seen Vexx laugh so hard, and not so up close. 

The bright, sweeping arch of his eyelashes against his pale skin was somehow mesmerizing. 

Iris felt like he could watch Vexx blink for hours, which was about the most ridiculous thought he’d ever had, and he’d believed he could be a merman till he was 14 years old. 

As Vexx’s laughter started to fade, so did the threat of clowns and then the entire circus, till all Iris was aware of was the green of Vexx’s eyes receding into the black of his pupils, as his fingers tightened around Iris’ waist.

It was only the sound of trumpets announcing a new act that broke the spell, Iris holding back a smile at the blush across Vexx’s cheekbones, as he shifted out of his lap.

But Iris didn’t go far, as he returned his attention to the thankfully clown free arena, turning so he was facing the rings, and scooting forward so he could lean back against Vexx’s chest.

Vexx hesitated before wrapping his arms around Iris’ waist again.

“You’re a pretty comfortable chair.”

“You’re heavy,” Vexx complained, without any heat.

“That’s because I have the body of an Olympian,” Iris said imperiously, flexing one arm to show off just a few of the muscles swimming had given him.

“In which sport? Croquet?”

“You’re fucking hilarious,” Iris elbowed him.

They went quiet as the lights dimmed down for the acrobat’s show, but Iris was distracted by Vexx.

Not just the physical closeness- the warmth of his body, or the movement of his breathing, but also the way he felt about him.

Iris had liked Vexx the moment they’d met, and realized he was attracted to him not long after that. But it felt dangerous in a completely different way than escaping the castle, to feel those kinds of feelings again.

Not that Iris had never felt this way about anyone before, but it still reminded him of blue-violet hair that matched his own, and sad eyes that one day stopped seeing him, even when he stood right in front of them.

When the lights went back up, it was time to go, and Iris reluctantly stood to his feet, frowning down at his bulging jacket pocket. 

Peering inside, he saw far more peanut shells than he could have possibly shelled himself and he glared at Vexx, who blinked at him innocently.

“What? You complained about littering, and now you want to complain about full pockets? You are a true royal, Prince Flower.”

Iris scoffed playfully, as he started to follow Vexx down the rope they’d used to climb up the flagpole to the platform.

“That’s right. And don’t you forget it, you glorified meat shield.”

Vexx was waiting for him at the bottom, still holding the rope when Iris’ boots touched down on the dirt floor. He leaned in close, a challenging grin on his lips.

“Is that all I really am to you?”

Iris could feel his eyes flutter open wide, and he blinked quickly to try and hide the response, returning Vexx’s smirk with one of his own.

“You tell me, Lieutenant Serif. Aren’t I just an easy paycheck? That’s what you used to say.”

“Hmm...” Vexx hummed thoughtfully, his gaze flicking to Iris’ lips briefly. “I haven’t said that recently though. Maybe I changed my mind.”

Hesitating, Iris licked his lips, his heart surging in his chest when Vexx copied the gesture, his gaze fixed on Iris’ mouth again.

Without another pause, Iris grabbed the lapels of Vexx’s jacket and pulled him into a kiss. 

Vexx backed him up against the flagpole, and Iris let him. He even let Vexx thread his fingers into his long hair, unable to stop the breathless groan that escaped his throat.

Vexx’s responding chuckle should have annoyed Iris, but when he pulled back from the kiss, cupping Vexx’s cheek, he just felt clumsy and half terrified about daring to try this again.

Iris’ love of Nerissa was different. It was like bedrock, or Kitalphanite- utterly solid and unbreakable. It was Nerissa who convinced Iris he was strong enough to keep going, even after being abandoned out of a grief he barely understood.

But that gaping hole where his mother’s love had once been, never really healed, only scabbed over. 

Somehow, Vexx made Iris forget about that wound, and as time went on, he even made Iris believe that wound could maybe heal. 

And if not, maybe Vexx could guard that fragile part of Iris, just like he guarded the rest of him.

“You’re my favorite meat shield,” was all that Iris dared to say.

Iris would tell him more later. He’d tell Vexx about the day Kitalpha went supernova. He would tell him how that day he’d learned that not only can planets die, but so can love that once had felt as vast as the now fabled, Kitalphan oceans. 

He’d tell him how seeing that bright, new, star in the sky, hurt less than being forgotten.

Vexx huffed, smiling softly as he tilted his head till their foreheads were touching.

“And _you’re_ my favorite royal brat.”

Staring into, bright, green eyes, Iris decided, this time he would be good enough for love to choose him back.

  
***

  
Iris was quiet, as he held his mother’s hand.

Bare toes digging into the gritty, yet soft sand, he was almost overwhelmed by the roar of the waves, the wind, and the penetrating feeling of the sun reflecting off the sand and water. The whole experience was so much more than any vid could have prepared him for.

“It’s like music,” he said, peering out at the blue horizon. “Music the planet plays for us. Music that never stops.”

“It does stop,” mama replied, her soft voice barely audible. “Everything ends.”

Iris squinted against the bright, sunlight, as he peered up at her. 

Her vivid, blue-violet hair, was blowing in her face, but he could still see the tears, glistening on her cheeks.

“Mama?” he said, squeezing her hand tighter, as his heart sped up. “What’s wrong?”

“I-” mama finally looked down at him and smiled, but it was that sad smile that Iris had been seeing more and more of lately.

“Go, enjoy the beach, Starfish. And don’t forget to thank the guards when they do their rounds. They’ve worked extra hard so we could have this outing.”

“Okay.”

Iris started toward the water, knowing there was no way to convince mama to talk once she’d decided not to. And lately, she’d been talking less and less, and smiling even less than that. The only thing she did more often, was cry and stay in her rooms.

Iris just wished he knew why.

Was it something he’d done? Was it because he couldn’t breathe underwater like real a Kitalphan, no matter how hard he tried? Maybe, mama was sad because she missed living in the ocean, but she couldn’t anymore because she had to take care of him and his siblings.

Iris sat on the smooth, water darkened sand, letting the waves rush under and around him. 

Watching the waves roll in, Iris tried to swallow down the delicate, trembling feeling in his chest. Needing to be distracted, he laid down in the surf, giggling as the movement of the water tickled against the sensitive skin of his gills. 

Deciding to leave mama and all the rest of his worries on the beach, Iris ran directly into the welcoming waves of the ocean, squealing, when it turned out to be even colder than he’d been expecting, but still throwing himself in anyway.

He’d never been outside the palace walls before, and now here he was, just him and mama visiting the seaside. His older siblings had been too busy to join them, except Arlo, who just hated being outdoors.

Once the wind and water had washed away most that awful, fragile feeling, Iris made his way back to where mama was sitting on a red and white checkered blanket, with one of the guards stationed behind her.

“The water is so cold!” he said, as he flung himself down beside her. “It’s nothing like the pool.”

Mama didn’t respond or even turn to look at him, her gaze fixed out onto the ocean waves. 

Nervously, Iris flicked at the sand that had gathered on the blanket, and when she still didn’t move or speak, he opened the large basket she’d brought along with them.

Unwrapping a sandwich, he placed it in her hand, lips pressing into a thin line, when her fingers barely grasped it.

“Eat, mama,” he said, trying to sound cheerful. “It’s good.”

He had no idea if it was good or not. He’d never had food like this before, meant for traveling and outdoors. But, he wanted her to eat. He wanted her to stop looking like she was fading away right before his eyes.

Moving more mechanically than an ancient robot, mama took a bite of the sandwich, and Iris immediately tore into his own, hunger briefly overtaking his worry. 

He’d finished two sandwiches by the time mama had taken two bites, and Iris eyed the napkin by her knee where she’d placed it before digging into the basket again, hoping to find something that would tempt her. 

There was fruit and cheese and those tiny toasts she loved. Iris ate little bits of everything, exclaiming loudly over how good it was before offering it to her, but she refused all his offers, sounding more tired every time she did.

After, emptying the basket of everything except dessert, Iris grabbed his sunhat and stood to his feet, determined to find something that would make her smile again.

“I’m going sea shell hunting. Will you come with me?” he asked.

Mama paused, looking like she was going to say no, before looking guilty and saying yes. 

Iris tried not to show how excited he was, but he couldn’t help bouncing on his toes and rushing as he helped put away the lunch things. 

Perhaps he could find a giant conch shell, or a pearl, or even a sand dollar- it didn’t matter what it was, as long as mama was interested in it.

“Let’s go!” he said, pulling her along.

Normally, mama would laugh when Iris was excited and impatient, but she didn’t this time. 

Iris kept smiling, telling himself that it was okay, that he was too old to be upset over something so silly, but it still felt like there was a new bruise on his already aching heart.

Searching for shells was fun though, and eventually he was distracted, walking ahead and circling back when he found a particularly shiny, or perfect shell that he thought mama might like.

“Only take a pocketful of shells,” mama cautioned. “The sea creatures need them more than we do.”

“I wouldn’t want the hermit crabs to have to wander around naked,” Iris agreed, jiggling his pocket to see how full it already was.

Bright, surprised, laughter, had Iris jerking around to look at her. 

Mama’s hand was covering her mouth, but her shoulders were still shaking, and Iris grinned, unspeakably happy at being able to inspire that sound that he’d been wanting to hear again more than anything. 

Even more than he wanted to be able to breathe underwater.

Eyes scanning the beach for inspiration, Iris hurriedly tried to think of something else funny to say, but his mind went blank. It’s not like he knew any good jokes- Soren’s the one who’s good at making people laugh.

The moment passed, and Iris hung his head, blinking back a sudden rush of tears. 

What if she never laughed again, and it was his fault for not being funny enough? What if-

Mama took his hand, and kissed the back of it before tugging him along.

“Come on,” she said, her smile, finally, finally, reaching her eyes. “Let’s go eat dessert.”

Laughing, Iris took the lead, pulling mama forward till they were both racing back toward the blanket. 

This, Iris decided, was the best day of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

“Sweet!” Damon crowed, a grin lighting up his face.

They were on their way out of the labyrinthine Orion labs and this weapon’s locker was their last stop before heading back to the ship to start the fireworks.

“Load up, folks,” he ushered everyone inside. “No use leaving these toys here to be blown up, when we can use ‘em instead.”

Iris started shoving the first things he saw in his pockets, which happened to be boxes of ammunition, glaring when Vexx started snickering at him.

“None of those even match your gun,” Vexx informed him.

Iris just shrugged, “Someone can use them, I’m sure. Or they can be sold.”

“Yeah, but how many bullets do you have left after that fire fight?”

Before he could respond or check his pistol, Damon snatched it from Iris’ holster, checking the magazine with swift, practiced movements.

“One left, and I know for a fact you didn’t hit a damn thing.”

He glared at Iris, who just shrugged again, pulling an unconcerned smile to his lips, as he took his gun back from Damon and slid it back in its holster.

“Sorry, just need more practice, I guess. I promise won’t waste anymore bullets though. I have my knife if we come across more K’Merii.”

Iris really didn’t want to kill anyone, but he hadn’t bothered saying so. He knew the likelihood of him making it on a mercenary crew without killing anyone was nil. He just needed to get over it, but so far he’d found it easier said than done.

Vexx was looking at him with a soft understanding Iris couldn’t quite bring himself to face, only noticing from the corner of his eye. He was still overwhelmed by all he’d found out- what Vexx had been forced to do.

His heart and mind couldn’t agree on how to feel, so Iris was trying to ignore it all. For now, at least.

Soon the crew was loaded down with as many weapons and munitions they could carry, all of them talking in excited whispers about what they’d found. 

It was Bash who caught sight of the machine gun turret on the ceiling in the middle of a main hallway, its outline barely visible in the low emergency lighting.

Iris was separated from the rest of the crew, before even he knew it. Everyone except Vexx, that was. 

Ducking behind a convenient crate, Iris clutched his pistol as he watched Vexx duck out of cover. The sniper didn’t have time to line up the perfect shot like he usually would, and he pulled back cursing a moment later, the turret still whirring as it searched for more targets.

As Vexx was reloading, Iris saw movement in the corner of his eye. It was a black garbed K’Merii, leaning around the opposite corner with his gun aimed at Vexx. 

Iris lifted his pistol, but just like every other time he’d aimed at a human, his hands shook too much and the shot went wide. 

The gun in the soldier’s hands jerked with a bang and a flash of light and Iris’ heart lurched violently in his chest when Vexx cried out, dropping his gun with a clatter as the bullet tore a hole in his hand.

There was no time for thoughts. Despite his pockets being full of shotgun shells, his gun was useless, so Iris unsheathed his knife and dove across the hall. 

He was lucky the rest of the crew was distracting the turret, and even more lucky the K'Merii had a rifle that needed reloaded after each shot- it gave Iris the time he needed to sink his blade into the meat of the man’s neck.

It was almost effortless.

The diamond edged blade slid beneath skin and past muscles, ligaments, veins, and tissue in one smooth stroke. It was the warm, coppery smelling, blood, spraying all over Iris’ face that had his stomach roiling in disgust.

The turret exploded, just as the body fell to the floor, but Iris barely noticed as he stared down at the bloody remains of what had been a person just a minute ago.

Warm fingers grasped his elbow, trying to pull him away.

“Iris,” Vexx’s voice shook a little, “look at me, okay? Just look at me.”

The rest of the crew came barreling around the corner, and the air filled with the sound of concerned murmurs.

June handed Vexx a handkerchief and Iris blinked back into himself as Vexx started wiping the worst of the blood from his face.

“There you are,” Vexx breathed, tilting their foreheads together. “You had me worried there for a minute.”

“I couldn’t let my favorite meat shield get offed,” Iris joked, his smile tight and strained, but there.

Vexx choked out a laugh as he wrenched Iris into a tight hug.

“Shit, I guess you’re my big, damn, hero now, Prince Flower.”

“Let’s get going,” Calderon interrupted, “We need to get the hell out of here.”

Iris let Vexx start to pull him away, but paused once more to look at the person he’d killed, wondering if he’d even remember what the man looked like by the time this was all over.

“You did what you had to, prince,” Damon gave Iris a friendly punch on the shoulder, as he stepped over the body.

Tucking his wounded hand under his arm, Vexx grabbed Iris’ hand and pulled gently.

“We need to go, Iris.”

Nodding, Iris, squeezed his warm fingers and followed after him.

As his skin started to itch where the blood had dried on his skin, Iris decided, killing someone wasn’t nearly as difficult as he’d expected.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure about this story, despite how much I like the idea of it. Constructive criticism is very welcome!


End file.
